Requirements for vessels with anchor restrictions - Argentina

The UK P&I Club have received the following update from local correspondents Pandi Liquidadores S.R.L, regarding requirements for vessels with anchor restrictions in Argentina.

QUOTE

When one of the vessel’s anchors is missing the following scenarios should be taken into account by the owners:

If the vessel is arriving to Argentine waters lacking one anchor to load at any terminal within the Parana River, the vessel should report this to the Coast Guard Authorities when entering Argentine jurisdictional waters

Then the vessel will be inspected by the PSC (Port State Control) and if the vessel is arriving in ballast condition the deficiency will be recorded requesting certain actions described in the PSC form as 99, 40, 50, 70 i.e. restricted ship operation, to report next port, to confirm whether the flag state has been informed as well as the class society.

The Vessel arriving in ballast will not be detained and in general she will be authorized to proceed to the roads of the loading port or to the loading terminal located alongside the Parana River.

However, once the vessel reaches the roads of the loading port and she anchor waiting for berth, she will be required by Coast Guard Authorities to have at all time whilst at roads the escort of a tug boat. She will also be required to have a tug once in laden condition to escort the vessel from the loading port/terminal up to Recalada Pilot Station (located at Lat 35 06´35´´ S Long 55 57´65´´W in the open River Plate close to the port of Montevideo, Uruguay) as navigation is in restricted waters (navigational channels).

In a recent case and although the port anchor was lost which, is not necessary for berthing up river in those ports in which the use of tugs is not required due to the fact that vessels use the starboard anchor for berthing/unberthing the Coast Guard in any way required the use of one tug boat for this manoeuvre on precautionary basis in case that something goes wrong with the only anchor in place.

In one way or the other this would be an expensive exercise for the owners whether an escort tug is required whilst at roads or to proceed down river if you bear in mind that the tugs charge by the hour from the time when they sail from their base up to their returning. Although the costs of tugs are now more competitive still is an expensive exercise to the Owners.

On some occasions the Coast Guard also required for a pilot to remain onboard when at roads.As you will note the owners should be well aware what the situation is if they arrive lacking one of the anchors or if the anchor is lost whilst the vessel is in jurisdictional waters, as on various occasions for one reason or the other the vessels have lost one anchor when at roads of the loading /discharging port up Parana River.

The purpose of this circular has been to help Owners to have a clearer picture of the above described scenario, given that they are not always properly informed of this situation beforehand when inspected by PSC on arrival.